The subject invention relates to a bow sight and particularly to a bow sight which is completely adjustable without the necessity of unlocking locking mechanisms in order to make the adjustments.
Bow sights have a mounting bracket which is attachable to the riser of the bow, a mounting arm which extends forwardly from the bracket and a sight ring, which contains one or more sight pins, which is attached to the mounting arm. In order for a bow sight to work with different bows the sight ring needs to be adjustable. Typically the sight ring is moveable forward and backward relative to the bow and inward and outward and upward and downward relative to the mounting arm. In addition the sight ring may be rotatable about a horizontal axis which is coaxial with the mounting arm. Finally the sight ring may be rotatable about a vertical axis which bisects the mounting arm. An exemplary bow sight is shown in Rudovsky, U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,479. In the past bow sight adjustment mechanisms had locking devices which had to be released to make the adjustment, in order to prevent inadvertent movement of the sight ring during handling and shooting of the bow. This is cumbersome. In addition, the previous adjustment mechanisms themselves were loose so significant movement could occur when the locking mechanism was unlocked. Since bow sight adjustment is done by trial and error, coming closer and closer to the desired point, movement during unlocking made it difficult to ever reach the desired point. This problem was recently overcome by Gibbs, U.S. Pat. No. RE36,266. Gibbs provides a vertical micro adjustment mechanism which does not require a locking mechanism and yet does not inadvertently move during use of the bow. However, the Gibbs adjustment mechanism utilizes a ball screw adjustment which is quite expensive. Gibbs also provides a horizontal adjustment mechanism which does not require a locking mechanism, but the horizontal adjustment system in Gibbs does not completely prevent inadvertent movement during use of the bow.
In addition, none of the prior art bow sights of the type having multiple sight pins using fiber optics to provide an illuminated tip have a way to adjust the separation of the tips without undoing a locking mechanism.
In one aspect, the subject invention overcomes the shortcomings and limitations of the prior art bow sights by providing horizontal, vertical and at least one rotational adjustment mechanism which allows continuous movement of the sight ring without having to release a locking mechanism, and still prevents unintentional movement of the sight ring. In another preferred aspect, the bow sight of the subject invention provides a plurality of sight pins having distal ends with illuminated tips and proximal ends which are rotatably mounted in the sight ring. A first adjustment mechanism allows the sight pins to be rotated to set the location of the illuminated tips along a vertical sight line in the sight ring. A second adjustment mechanism allows the sight pins to be moved along their longitudinal axes to align them with the sight line when they have been rotated.
In another preferred aspect of the invention, horizontal and vertical micro adjustment mechanisms include a pair of rails which extend across a cavity in a housing. A guide has a pair of tracks which engage the rails and allow the guide to be moveable across the cavity on the rails. A threaded rod which extends across the cavity parallel with the rails passes through a threaded cavity in the center of the guide. Thus, rotation of the threaded rod causes the guide to move along the tracks. The tracks tightly engage the rails and the threaded opening resists rotation of the threaded rod which prevent inadvertent movement of the guide along the rails.
The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.